Zelensky tells European summit that Putin had failed to divide the continent

LONDON, July 18 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told a summit of European leaders near Oxford, England, on Thursday that Russian aggression against his country had failed in its goal to divide the family of Europe -- but warned against any backsliding.

"We have maintained unity in Europe and are acting together, which means that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has missed his primary target -- he has failed to create division in Europe. The more decisive Europe is in preserving this unity, the longer-lasting peace we will ensure," Zelensky said in a speech to the fourth European Political Community meeting.

"Putin cannot sustain relationships with truly strong leaders, and this is our advantage, but it remains an advantage only as long as we are united. He may try to approach you or go to some of your partners individually, trying to tempt or pressure you, to blackmail you, so that one of you betrays the rest -- weakening our unity."

Zelensky told around 50 leaders gathered at Blenheim Palace, the ancestral home of Winston Churchill , that Ukraine forces had halted Russia's advance on Kharkiv which had cost Putin thousands of casualties for no gain.

He stressed the battlefield success had only been possible due to the courage of Western partners in removing "limitations on the use of Western weapons along our border" which, contrary to escalation fears, actually checked Putin's efforts to widen the war.

However, he called for partners to go further and provide more air defenses saying the more effective Ukraine's systems were the more impotent Putin would be and that the more restrictions on the types of weapons and how they can be used were scaled back, the more Russia would seek peace.

Zelensky also stressed the importance of diplomacy thanking leaders for their unanimity on the opening of European Union membership talks and the broad support shown for Ukraine's future admission to NATO and the "complete elimination of this security deficit in Europe" after the military alliance's communique last week that Ukraine's membership path was "irreversible."

He also urged partners to give their utmost support to upcoming peace summits that Ukraine was working to organize, including a follow-up conference from a summit hosted by Switzerland in June that will focus on energy and food security and getting back Ukrainians taken prisoner by Russia and deportees.

"I ask all of you to support these efforts, join the common work, and choose for yourself the points of the Peace Formula where you can show your leadership."

Zelensky made an appeal to the leaders to convince partners around the world to show courage in the face of threats and blackmail from Moscow, saying their combined efforts were crucial for the sake of peace.

"When the aggressor loses -- the world wins," he said.

Zelensky referenced Churchill, Britain's World War II leader who is credited with leading the country to victory over Nazi Germany , to draw parallels between that struggle and what was occurring in Europe today.

"Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain and, of course, for all Europe ... Will Europe be a continent that neither surrenders nor sells itself to tyrants?" said Zelensky.

"They secured this Europe for us, which has been peaceful for so long. And now, our bravery and cooperation must achieve no less."